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CHICK'S HEART AHEAD OF BODY.


Byline: TOM HOFFARTH

Though I haven't been to the Forum or Staples Center This articlearticle or section has multiple issues:
* Its neutrality is disputed.
* It may contain original research or unverifiable claims.
* It does not cite any references or sources.
, I feel the feelings of millions of Lakers See Lake poets  fans who have been missing that one-of-a-kind announcer's voice that one would immediately recognize. You are in our prayers. Godspeed!

- Mark from Pasay, Philippines

Chick Hearn was behind a microphone Friday afternoon for the first time in more than a month.

In the comfort of the Chick Hearn Press Room at Staples Center, before a couple of dozen local reporters, a slew of familiar TV cameras and his wife Marge.

And, he was at a loss for words.

``It's shocking ... stunning,'' the recovering voice of the Lakers said as he was surrounded by what seemed to be several block-long banners containing the scrawls of thousands of well-wishers for his recovery from heart-valve-replacement surgery that took place in mid-December.

``It's almost embarrassing. I don't understand it. The letters from so many grade-school kids ... it just makes you appreciate life more. It really takes the edge off the hurt.''

Not just the little kids but the bigger ones, too, who send e-mails from all parts of the world wondering, like Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. , when he'll be back.

``So many people, from so many walks of life, taking the time to buy a card and put a stamp on it and send it to us.''

His voice trailed off as he said something about it being ``a revelation.''

Chick: Cuidate amigo. All of Spain wishes you to get well soon and to get the Jell-O to start jiggling again. You are a true professional with a class of your own.

- Mario from Madrid, Spain

As much as everyone in the room might have wanted him to announce he was all ready to hop on Verb 1. hop on - get up on the back of; "mount a horse"
bestride, climb on, jump on, mount up, get on, mount

move - move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion; "He moved his hand slightly to the right"
 a plane and make it to San Antonio San Antonio (săn ăntō`nēō, əntōn`), city (1990 pop. 935,933), seat of Bexar co., S central Tex., at the source of the San Antonio River; inc. 1837.  in time for today's Lakers game, the words weren't coming out of his mouth.

``It'll be sometime by the end of the season,'' is all he promises. ``Next week? Absolutely not.''

His 85-year-old body aches from the last few weeks of rehabilitation rehabilitation: see physical therapy.  that includes a recent treadmill test treadmill test Exercise stress test, see there  that he referred to as ``hell.'' All his muscles need to work again just so he can walk without pain.

``So far, my heart's ahead of my body,'' he said, giving the non-medical explanation.

Most important, he says he doesn't have nearly the lung capacity he's supposed to need that would sustain him through another breathless unnecessarily-down-to-the-wire contest.

``I can't come back until both my doctors give me the OK,'' he said, sounding slightly discouraged but trying to be realistic. ``I'd be a fool to do otherwise. I'd be in much more trouble.''

Until then, the real trouble is trying to figure out how to answer all the e-mail, faxes and phone calls from all those caring people who've been concerned.

Chick, I miss you on the air and I feel if you were there, we wouldn't have lost that game against the Grizzlies The name Grizzlies may refer to:
  • Grizzly bears
  • Memphis Grizzlies (Formerly the Vancouver Grizzlies), a NBA Basketball team.
  • Northside High School football team.
  • Fresno Grizzlies, a minor league triple-a associate of the San Francisco Giants.
.

- Denise from Nassau, Bahamas For other uses of "Nassau", see Nassau (disambiguation).
Nassau is the capital city and commercial center of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The city has a population of 210,832 (2000 census), nearly 70 percent of the entire population of the Bahamas (303,611).
 

``You don't know Don't know (DK, DKed)

"Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party.
 how much I miss it,'' Chick said after the laughter died down from his joking about the team's recent losses to Chicago and Miami, Marge's cooking vs. hospital food and the fact he's received a phone call from everyone in the organization except Phil Jackson
For other people with the same name, see Philip Jackson.


Philip Douglas "Phil" Jackson (born September 17, 1945 in Deer Lodge, Montana) is the current coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, an American professional basketball team.
.

``I can't express it in words. You do something for 40 years, it becomes a part of you, and you of it.''

So much so, that when he watches the games on TV lately, he turns the sound down so ``I can go over them in my mind, to try to understand how the game unfolds, to stay sharp.''

To stay in the game. Ready for that comeback when his body says it's time It's Time was a successful political campaign run by the Australian Labor Party (ALP) under Gough Whitlam at the 1972 election in Australia. Campaigning on the perceived need for change after 23 years of conservative (Liberal Party of Australia) government, Labor put forward a .

Hey, Mr. Hearn, hope you get well soon so we can enjoy your voice again over the whole world.

- Younes from Delfzijl, Netherlands

``Today, Marge said when we were coming over here - they sent us a limo, but it was more like a 1939 Ford - she said, 'It seems like we're going to a game,' '' Chick said. ``My God, I wish we were. You don't know how much we miss it.''

Seems just as much as everyone misses him.

CAPTION(S):

photo

Photo:

(color) Lakers announcer Chick Hearn, who is recovering from heart- valve-replacement surgery, said he'll probably return to announcing sometime by the end of this season.

John Lazar/Staff Photographer
COPYRIGHT 2002 Daily News
No portion of this article can be reproduced without the express written permission from the copyright holder.
Copyright 2002, Gale Group. All rights reserved. Gale Group is a Thomson Corporation Company.

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Title Annotation:Sports
Publication:Daily News (Los Angeles, CA)
Date:Jan 19, 2002
Words:729
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